COMICS: 'Baz' Confirmed As Our First Arab-American GREEN LANTERN

After months of speculation, we can finally confirm the Country of origin for the mysterious new Green Lantern who made his first appearnce back in May. The character's name has now also been confirmed as Baz. Read on for details..

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By Mark Cassidy - 8/24/2012

Back in May in DC's Free Comic Book Day issue, we were greeted with some promotional images of a brand new Green lantern. The character sported what appeared to be some Arabic tattoos on his arm, and later on rumors surfaced that his name was 'Baz'. There was a lot of peculation among fans as to which Country this new hero would be hailing from, and now we can confirm that he is American!.

Confirmation comes from an article detailing DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns upcoming visit to the Arab American National Museum in Detroit to mark the character's debut. The story in the Detroit Free Press (via Newsarama) describes the hero the "first Arab-American Green Lantern," and also marks the first DC confirmation of the character's name — 'Baz'.

So there you have it, Baz will now be the fifth American to wear the mantle of Green Lantern. Baz is expected to make his debut as the new Earth Green Lantern in Green Lantern #0 this September.

None for nothing (And first haha) I can understand playing things to everyone's "PC" side but an Arab-American might not go over too well with some people. Me personally I think it's a sort of branch of peace and an ok idea to try for nw. However a bigger question I have is What does this mean for Hal Jordan? Will he still be around or no?

What does his race/ethnic background have to do with anything......you have a universe full of different species and aliens, i get they're idea behind it to expand they're targeted market, but still..........why?

An Arab-American won't go over too well with scumbags - good. By the way, any racist or xenophobic comments will be deleted, then reported on this article..and Jim is really cracking down without the multiple warning so I'd be careful if I were you.

I think it's a Politicaly Correct "PC" stunt that DC is playing to the masses. They probably feel like making a man of that background will some way somehow influnce others to embrace the idea that Arabs are not all bad people, that they can in fact be great people or even great heroes. Howeve I agree with you Toasty, in a vast universe with tons of life forms...Why not one of them?

Too true, I agree, thosetypes of comments are out of line. But you know as well as the rest of us that some people don't give a damn and they'll toss in their two cents worth anyway. I for one was a soldier for 4 years ad I never once had a problem with anyone of a different background because I know that not everyoneout there hates us....However I feel DC is pushing their luck with this move and they could take a loss in the Green Lantern branch if this blows up in their face.

Don't really know how I feel about a new human GL. It is not like DC does not have a good bunch of great GLs to choose from. However I can't say I've followed the new 52 stories, so I'm probably not an authority on this point.

all of the attempts at pleasing everyone are getting old. Anyone remember John Wayne? he would have never worried about pleasing everyone. Can't we have heroes who are just heroes and not a bunch of politically correct pansies?

So he's just mid arab mid american, but he still have to use a mask to hide his whole face unlike all the other Green Lantern on the universe? At first I though they created Baz in an attempt to lower the racism toward arab people in America, but his look and the way he was introduced feel like it was made just to sell by the controversy.

I'll just say that If this is an attempt by DC to appeal to the Arab-American demographic then it appears pretty transparent and clumsy marketing.

Have DC considered that if said Arab-American customers are Muslims, then I'm pretty sure their religion frowns upon idolising anyone other than their prophet Mohammed.
Children for certain in a strict Islamic family would not be encouraged to idolise superheroes.

Tattoos also are considered 'Harem' and forbidden by Islam as Muslims are not allowed to 'defile' their flesh by getting tattoos.

I miss the times when society didn't have to be politically correct or even have jobs that say you must fill this quota of these diff races or "skin tones" that right there is racism in its own. And people wonder why society is full of hate

Id like to see where this story takes Hal, Guy, John and Kyle. I dont see Baz being a permanent lantern imo. I would like to see one of the four Lanterns get killed of and either that ring chooses Baz or for on of the four become a "dffrent clored" lantern.

1- Hal- Killed OR Black Lantern (GLs latest issue gives this hint)

2- John Stewart- Killed or stays "Green"

3- Guy- Killed or Stays Green

4- Kyle- ALIVE (Make him a permanent Blue Lantern! It suits him well!!!)

I honestly don't have a problem with any Arabs being a Green Lantern as long as this guy does not take Hal Jordan's place as the number 1... still expecting the media to tear into DC for this and they will back down and change it..like they did with Superman being a non american citizen...

That wasn't a racist comment? Unless the word "white-boy" is now a racial slur? He was just commenting on the fact that most the GL's have been white so far and it's nice to have some diversity..I assume! If Oxbow would like to clarify that it was in fact racist, I will happily report him. Until then stop trying to stir shit up. If you don't like the article or the content, or the comments, you know what to do.

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